Frenford Clubs

What Frenford Clubs does

Frenford Clubs is a UK-registered charity (Charity No: 1202180) founded in 1928 in Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge, that delivers youth development services to approximately 5,000–6,340 young people aged 10–21 each year. Operating from the purpose-built Jack Carter Centre (opened 2010) and supported by 150+ paid staff and 174 volunteers, the charity runs a portfolio of programmes including weekly recreational sports sessions (badminton, basketball, football, cricket, table tennis, bootcamp), competitive team pathways in football, cricket, and table tennis, one-to-one youth mentoring, counselling, leadership and social action workshops, a free legal surgery, and a foodbank launched in March 2020 in partnership with Mutual Aid Redbridge.

The business model blends charitable income with earned revenue. Donations, monthly giving, corporate giving, and fundraising via the CAF Online platform form the philanthropic backbone. Earned revenue is generated through pay-as-you-go activity fees (£2–£7 per session), a U21 Discount Card priced at £10 annually, and facility hire — with hourly rates ranging from £16 (outdoor cricket nets) to £63 (5-a-side football cages weekday rate) and block booking discounts available. The facility hire channel targets schools, colleges, local authorities, community organisations, and adult sports leagues, while drop-in and open-access recreational sessions serve individual young people on a turn-up-and-play basis. Marketing is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, local school and community partnerships, and a presence across Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

Geographically, Frenford operates solely within the London Borough of Redbridge from a single site. Strategic partnerships with Redbridge Council (leaseholder), the London Violence Reduction Unit (MyEnds funder), the Muslimah Sports Association (women's football), and various football and table tennis leagues (Echo, Eastern Junior Alliance, GLWFL, Essex Senior League, Becontree, Romford) form the operational backbone. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by CEO Irfan Shah BEM, with no parent company, private equity involvement, or institutional investor ownership. No revenue figures are disclosed publicly.

Name

Frenford Clubs

Legal name

Frenford Clubs

Website

https://frenfordclubs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Frenford Clubs is a UK-registered youth charity founded in 1928 that serves over 5,000 young people aged 10–21 annually in the London Borough of Redbridge through sports, mentoring, counselling, leadership, and foodbank programmes from its Jack Carter Centre in Ilford.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development and Community Services (Charity)

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Community sports programs
• Youth mentoring support
• Charity youth services
• Sports facility hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Ilford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and community supporters. One-off donations, monthly giving, corporate giving, and fundraising events. Donations support sport, mentoring, counselling and youth support programmes.
2. Facility Hire: Hourly rental of sports facilities (outdoor cricket nets, badminton courts, dance studio, full-size astro turf, 5-a-side football cages, sports hall, meeting rooms, board room, senior clubroom, junior clubroom, music studio). Block booking discounts available. Separate pricing for youth drop-in vs adult/adult group bookings.
3. Activity and Session Fees: Pay-as-you-go recreational activity fees. Weekly sports sessions including badminton, football, basketball, table tennis, cricket, bootcamp. Youth discount card programme offering reduced rates for £10 annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Frenford Clubs is a registered UK youth charity (Charity No. 1202180) that delivers weekly recreational sports sessions, one-to-one youth mentoring, counselling, leadership programmes, and competitive team opportunities for young people aged 10-21 in the London Borough of Redbridge. It supplements these youth services with community support offerings including a foodbank, detached street-based youth work, free legal advice, sports facility and meeting room hire, and corporate volunteering and donation programmes for supporters.

Product overview

Frenford Clubs is a youth charity offering a portfolio of interconnected programmes focused on supporting young people aged 10-21 in Redbridge, London. The core offering consists of Recreational Sessions Programme (structured weekly sports activities including badminton, basketball, football, cricket, table tennis, bootcamp), Youth Mentoring Programme (one-to-one support for young people facing challenges), Counselling Services (mental health support), Leadership and Social Action Programme, and Team Opportunities (competitive sports pathways). Supporting services include the Frenford Foodbank (emergency food support), Facility Hire (sports and meeting room rentals), External Activities (community partner-led sessions), Legal Surgery (free legal advice), Detached Youth Work (street-based youth engagement), Donation Programme, and Volunteering Programme. The organisation operates from The Jack Carter Centre in Ilford and serves over 5,000 young people annually, combining youth development with sport-based engagement to build confidence and positive futures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Frenford Youth Mentoring: Youth mentoring and support services for young people aged 10-21 in Redbridge, providing guidance on confidence, wellbeing, relationships, school, employment, and everyday challenges.
• Frenford & Mutual Aid Redbridge Foodbank
• Frenford Sports Teams

Products and services

• Recreational Sessions Programme Weekly sport, arts and educational activities for young people of all ages and abilities, providing a safe and welcoming space to stay active, make friends and build confidence. Includes badminton, basketball, football, cricket, table tennis, bootcamp, and tots football sessions.
• Youth Mentoring Programme Daily youth mentoring programme supporting young people aged 10-21 with confidence, wellbeing, relationships, school, employment, and everyday challenges. Offers one-to-one support from experienced Club Mentors for young people facing challenges at home, in school or in the community.
• Frenford & Mutual Aid Redbridge Foodbank Emergency food and essential supplies support for local families and vulnerable residents across Redbridge. Joint initiative between Frenford Clubs, Mutual Aid Redbridge and partners including 36th E.F.S. Sea Scout Group.
• Counselling Services Support from qualified counsellors providing young people with a safe and confidential space to discuss their wellbeing, mental health and personal challenges.
• Leadership and Social Action Programme Workshops and programmes designed to help young people develop leadership qualities, confidence and the skills to create positive change within their communities.
• Team Opportunities (Competitive Sports) Competitive sporting pathways across football, cricket, and table tennis, giving young people opportunities to train, compete and represent Frenford in organised leagues and competitions (Echo League, Eastern Junior Alliance League, Essex Senior League, Becontree Table Tennis League, Romford Table Tennis League, GLWFL).
• Drop-In Sessions Affordable casual activities and facility bookings for young people (U21). Youth participants can book facilities in advance and attend with friends at discounted drop-in rates including badminton, basketball, football, cricket nets, dance studio, table tennis, and pool.
• Facility Hire Sports and meeting facilities available for public hire including outdoor cricket nets, badminton court, dance studio, full-size astroturf pitch, 5-a-side football cages, sports hall, board room, senior clubroom, junior clubroom, and music studio. Pricing from £16/hr (cricket nets) to £63/hr (football cages weekday) with block booking rates.
• External Activities Activities delivered by trusted community organisations hosted at Frenford's site, expanding opportunities for local young people and families including dance, martial arts, gymnastics, and fitness classes.
• Legal Surgery Free legal advice and guidance for young people and families within the local community, delivered in an accessible and supportive environment.
• Detached Youth Work Youth work delivered directly to young people on the streets of Ilford, offering positive engagement, mentoring, support, and a trusted adult presence in the community.
• Donation Programme Donation programme allowing supporters to contribute via one-off donations, monthly giving, corporate giving, or fundraising to support sports, mentoring, counselling and youth support programmes.
• Volunteering Programme Volunteering opportunities including sports coaching, youth mentoring, events and fundraising, administration, social media and marketing, and governance and trustee roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 640 young people receiving mentoring support
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 36th E.F.S. Sea Scout GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Community partner supporting the Frenford & Mutual Aid Redbridge Foodbank. Sea scout group contributes to food donations and community support efforts.
• Mutual Aid RedbridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joint initiative: Frenford & Mutual Aid Redbridge Foodbank created during COVID-19 pandemic. Started in March 2020 in MP Sam Tarry's office, growing into community-wide effort with volunteers, local residents, and partner organisations.
• Muslimah Sports AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's football programme developed in partnership with Muslimah Sports Association. Frenford & MSA junior teams compete in the Hackney Marshes League, while the First Team competes in the GLWFL (Greater London Women's Football League). Instagram: @frenfordandmsawomenfc
• Redbridge CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported by Redbridge Council in the delivery of detached youth work services. Frenford holds lease agreement with London Borough of Redbridge for Jack Carter Centre facility. Council supported the organisation's development and community programmes.
• Echo LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJunior football teams (Under 8s through to Under 18s) compete in the Echo League and Eastern Junior Alliance League.
• Eastern Junior Alliance LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJunior football teams compete in the Eastern Junior Alliance League alongside Echo League.
• Essex Senior LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdult football sides competing across non-league football, with highest level currently at Step 5 in the Essex Senior League.
• Becontree Table Tennis LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJunior table tennis teams compete in the Becontree Table Tennis League, with pathways into adult competition in the Romford Table Tennis League.
• Romford Table Tennis LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdult competition pathway for table tennis players developed through Frenford.
• GLWFL (Greater London Women's Football League)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's First Team competes in GLWFL, the highest level of competition for the partnership team.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Catch22: National social business delivering services for disadvantaged young people including education, employability, and justice programmes. Comparable in its youth-facing social-services model but at a much larger scale than Frenford's single-borough operation.
• London Sport: Sport England-funded body for London sport development, partnering with local clubs and councils on community sport infrastructure. Comparable as an enabler of community sports in the same geography where Frenford operates.

Direct peers

• UK Youth: National umbrella body for youth organisations, supporting youth clubs and youth work across the UK. Comparable to Frenford as a long-established charity focused on youth development, though operating at a federated rather than direct-delivery scale.
• Access Sport: UK charity using sport to transform lives of disadvantaged young people, addressing inclusion through multi-sport programmes. Directly comparable to Frenford's multi-sport youth engagement model targeting similar demographics.
• London Youth: Membership network for youth organisations across London, directly comparable to Frenford as a community-rooted youth and sports charity operating in the same metropolitan geography. Like Frenford, it supports open-access youth work, sport, and personal development for 10-21 year olds.
• Greenhouse Sports: UK charity using sport to engage and support young people facing disadvantage through coaching and mentorship programmes. Directly comparable to Frenford's sports-based youth development delivery model and target demographic.
• OnSide Youth Zones: National network of purpose-built youth centres offering sports, arts, and mentoring to young people aged 8-19 (and up to 25). Directly comparable to Frenford's facility-based model combining structured recreation with youth development programmes.
• Highbury Roundhouse Community Centre: Long-running London community/youth centre delivering sports, mentoring, and holiday programmes to local young people. Closely comparable operating model and borough-level scope to Frenford Clubs.

Regional players

• Mary Ward Settlement / 1st Place Youth Centre: London community organisations delivering youth programmes with sport, education, and personal development components. Comparable activity mix to Frenford though headquartered in different London boroughs.

Broad incumbents

• The Prince's Trust: Large national youth charity focused on employability, education, and personal development for disadvantaged young people. Comparable mission space (mentoring, life skills, youth development) but operates as a much larger grant-maker rather than a local facility-based operator like Frenford.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/frenford_clubs
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frenford-clubs-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/frenfordclubs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Frenford Clubs